Greek workers use May Day to protest against reforms and austerity

By
Euronews

Thousands of Greeks marked May Day by demonstrating against government reforms which they say have hurt workers through layoffs and wage cuts.

At a protest organised by the Communist Party outside the parliament building in central Athens, unemployed building worker Albert Disai said the government’s labour law changes have devastated workers’ rights: “They held out the hope that with these measures things would get better, but the only thing I see is darkness.”

The Greek Communist Party Secretary General Dimitris Koutsoubas railed against the government and Brussels saying: “What we need right now is a strong opposition, that will open the road (for workers’ rights) and that can smash the monopolies of Europe, and allow the people’s voice to rule.”

Unemployment in Greece is 26 percent of the workforce, twice the eurozone average.

The government is vowing to concentrate on creating jobs after four years of spending cuts which were needed to avoid the country going bankrupt.